Bompas was asked to create something for a surrealist art show at London's Barbican Art Gallery and wanted to address the subject of eternal life. Other jams in the line are made with sand from the Great Pyramids and wood from a British warship. On his website, he posts his mission:

Since the dawn of time man has struggled to unlock the secrets of eternal life. Occult Jam is a small triumph over mortality. Base ingredients are preserved through their transformation into jam and enhanced with powerful artifacts.